Electric indicator for railroad-blocks



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 R. W. JAGGARD.

ELECTRIC INDICATOR FOR RAILROAD BLOCKS.

(No Model.)

,359. Patented Apr. 5, 1892.

an uewto Q/VVM uwow (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

R. W. JAGGARD. ELECTRIC INDICATOR FOR RAILROAD BLOCKS.

No. 472,359. A Patented Apr. 5, 1892.

Wbtmaoaaq I III" UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT W. JAGGARD, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC INDICATOR FOR RAILROAD-BLOCKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 472,359, dated April 5,1892. Application filed April 6, 1891. serial No. 387,847. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT W. J AGGARD, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electrical Indicators forRailroad-Blocks, which improvement is fully set forth in the followingspecification and accompanying drawings.

' My invention relates particularly to electrically-operatedrailway-signals of the block typefor the information of and guidance ofoperators or switchmen who control the blocks on railways by outdoorsignals; and its objects are, first, to provide means for indicatingvisually and audibly at the same time the condition of various blocks;second, to so arrange the several parts of the system that after a trainhas once entered a block and the indicators have been set to danger asafety-signal will not be displayed at the first station until the trainhas left the block, and, third, to accomplish the various features ofoperation hereinafter described, all of which objects are brought aboutby the use of the apparatus shown and described, but particularlypointed out in the claims which follow this specification.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the audible and visual signalmechanism. Fig. 2 represents a vertical and sectional view of same. Fig.3 represents a diagrammatic view showing the circuit connections andindicator mechanism entire for one block of a system, each of the blocksof said system being the duplicate of that disclosed in said figure.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a support for the indicatormechanism, and N is an inclosing box for the latter, secured to saidsupport.

D. designates a signal-bell or equivalent audible indicating apparatussecured to the support Aby a bracket G.

S designates a visual blade or semaphore pivotally secured by a shaft inthe box or frame N, which shaft carries a polarized armature a, adaptedto play between the poles of a polar magnet M.

L designates a two-armed lever, which is pivoted to a frame in the boxN. In the path of the long limb of said lever. is a locking-lug Z, whichis carried by the shaft of the blade S. The short limb of said lever isengaged by a finger F on the pivoted armature-lever A, the lattercarrying the hammer F of the bell D, said finger serving by itsengagement with the short limb of the lever L to raise the long leverthereof. The armature-lever A is provided on its rear side with acontact-spring adapted to make and break contact with a back contact, asclearly shown in Fig. 3.

The armature of the lever A is actuated by a neutral magnet M, and isprovided with a retractile spring Q for automatically returning it toits rear position after each forward vibration. This constitutes thevisual and audible apparatus, the same beingshown at two stations A andB (See Fig. 3.)

BA and BA are two main-line batteries,

both of which are normally open and have may be located directly in thesignal-box N.

These push-buttons have each two pairs of contacts a and a which areadapted to make electrical contact with a conducting cross-bar, asclearly shown, dependent upon whether the push is in the forward or rearposition. Normally they are held to the rear position by a spiral springsurrounding the rod upon which the cross-bar rests.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: Suppose a train to beentering the block shown in Fig. 3 at station A Upon entering the blockthe operator or attendant in charge of that block pushes the button 0and causes the contact-points a to make electrical contact with thecross-bar borne by said push, thereby closing the circuit of the batteryBA from the earth E through the neutral magnetM, polar magnet M, theline-wire to running to the distant end of the block through the polarmagnet M in the same direction asin the polar magnet at A the neutralmagnet M, armature-lever A, back contact-point, wire 10 push-button O,to earth at E. This energizes the neutral magnets M at both stations,causing their armatures A to be drawn forward, and thus rings both bellsD at A and B", and at the same time lifts the lockinglevers L out of thepaths of the locking-lugs I, so that the polarized magnets M at bothstations are allowed to lift the blades or semaphores S and S intopositions indicating danger. At the same time the bells at both stationsring continuously, owing to the interruption of the circuit between thearmature-lever A and its back contact-point at station 13; but thisinterruption is not sufficient to interfere with the action of thecurrent upon the polar magnets M at both stations. As soon as thesemaphores S and S are set and the operator at station A is made awarethat a signal has been received on the bell at station B by thecontinued noise of his own bell he allows the push C to return to itsnormal position, thereby removing the battery-current BA from the line.Immediately the locking-levers L at both stations drop behind the lugs Zand lock the semaphores S and S in positions of danger, and they remainthus displayed until the train has passed out of the block at station13*, when the operator at that station pushes his button 0 into itsforward position, which places the battery BA to line in a reverseddirection to that which set the signals when the battery BA was put toline, and by this action releases the locking-levers L and forces thesemaphores into position of safety. Ilis bell is made to ringcontinuously by the vibration of A at A and removing his hand from thebutton it takes its normal position and cuts the battery from line. Itwill be noticed that when either button is pushed the circuit-breakingpoints on the armature A are cut out of circuit and the armature is madeto vibrate by the interruptions of the current by the armature A at thedistant instrument. The continued ringing of the bell shows to theoperator or person pushing the button that his signal has operated inthe distant indicator or that the person pushing a button is able toknow immediately that his signal has or has not reached the distantstation. Should the current not reach the distant instrument and operatethe bell thereof, the home bell will make but one tap for each time thebutton is pushed or it will fail to ring at all. It will also be noticedthat after the operator at station A has once set his semaphore todanger he cannot release it, as this can only be done by the operator atthe distant station in the manner already dcseribed, although he may usethe bells to call attention of the distant operator.

It will thus be seen that this system is one of expedition, withincreased safety in setting and releasing the signals in sequence, asdesired, and until this is accomplished the trains should not proceed.

I am aware that audible and visual signals have heretofore been usedconjointly in block systems of electrical railway systems, and I make noclaim to this feature, broadly.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a system of electrical indicators for railroad-blocks, thecombination of signals, neutral and polarized magnets having armaturesfor actuating the signals, the armatures of the neutral magnetscontrolling the armatures of the polar magnets, and the electricalconnections, substantially as described.

2. In an electrical signal for railroads, the combination of an audibleand a visual signal, a main-line battery with a neutralelectromagnet,and a polar electro-magnct,the former magnet havingmechanical connection with the audible signal and the latter with thevisual signal, the armature of the neutral magnet controlling thearmatures of the polar magnet, substantially as described.

3. In an electrical signal-indicator for railroads of the block type,the combination of two sets of visual signals and two sets of audiblesignals located at independent stations, two polar electro-magnets withtwo neutral electro-magnets at said stations, the former magnets havingconnection with the visual signals and thelatter magnets adapted tocontrol each, and an audible signal with p ush-buttons at each station,whereby audible and visual signals are actuated and released, thearmatures of the said neutral magnets controlling the armatures of saidpolar magnets, substantially as described.

a. In an electrical signal of the block type embodying visual andaudible signals, the combination of a neutral clectro-magnetictrembler-bell and a polar electro-magnet at each end of the block, witha main-line battery and a switch for each apparatus, the polar magnetscontrolling eaclrvisual signal, and the armatures of the neutralmagnetic bells controlling the armatures of the polar magnets,substantially as described.

ROBERT W. J AGGARD. Witnesses:

JOHN A. WIEnEnsnEnr, A. 1. JENNINGS.

